LAS VEGAS — Colorado freshman swingman Tre’Shaun Fletcher played only three minutes Wednesday in Colorado’s 59-56 victory over Southern Cal — all in the first half.

But allowing Fletcher to get his feet wet in the Pac-12 Tournament opener could be important to Colorado for the remainder of the postseason.

The 6-foot-7 Fletcher had been out since Jan. 12, when he injured his left knee in a loss at Washington — just minutes after the Buffs’ star point guard, Spencer Dinwiddie, suffered a season-ending ACL tear of his left knee late in the first half.

Fletcher required surgery to repair a torn meniscus and sprained MCL. At the time, doctors said they hoped Fletcher would be ready to play by the Pac-12 Tournament.

Colorado coach Tad Boyle didn’t exactly ease Fletcher back into his first game. He put Fletcher on Southern California’s top shooters. That including Byron Wesley, who finished with a game-best 23 points.

“That’s what Fletch can give us — defense,” Boyle said.

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Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.